dick cheney's vice presidency: Recent Episodes
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I frankly never thought I’d see this day — since he declined to endorse the Democratic nominees, in either 2016, or 2020.
But I gather he’s finally seen enough (through three national election cycles!) of… Tangerine’s endless crime spree. Like his daughter, he cannot “stand back, and stand by” any longer.
Well… its about damn time, man.
But credit — where credit is due.
Out.
It centrally involves Trump’s lawyer, Evan Corcoran — and it is a rather convoluted federal statutory construction tale, to be sure.
But Dick Cheney sought, post 2003 (and Valerie Plame’s outing), to make it harder for the executive offices to get into dutch for going after political opponents with what might be classified government information. But in the process, he made the penalties worse, for executives who willingly refuse to return classified materials, while more widely freeing up their use, if properly declassified, even by the same executive.
Do go read all of EW, as it is a rollicking good tale — but here’s the punchline (Dark Brandon wins this round!):
…But there’s good reason to believe that Corcoran’s arguments about Trump — for the little they’re worth — would apply equally to Biden as to Trump, thanks, in part, to Dick Cheney.
How about them apples, huh?….
And so — thanks, Mr. Cheney — you could not have known, two decades ago that you’d be helping Joe Biden — and jamming Trump… but I suspect you are not unhappy about Trump… being jammed.
Sweet!
For almost two decades, on and off, I argued with Hinderaker and the boys — about Cheney’s fecklessnes. They uniformly, always, took his side. I still think he was an awful, self-obsessed, vain, old man — even before the end … Continue reading →
About one year ago, now (my last post here) I wrote that one could not make up a crazier set of… coincidences. Cough. I. Was. Wrong. It only took a year… for 45 to use a “dawn of the dead” … Continue reading →
The truth is seems — is often… far stranger. And disgusting…. Erik Prince — whose sister is now Secretary of Education, under 45 — apparently (allegedly) held Logan Act violating meetings, on behalf of then only citizen Trump. To open … Continue reading →
But I, for one, am glad it has finally happened. Of course, I favor complete repeal of the Section 215 style bulk collection, as I’ve said for over a decade — unless supported by full-on probable cause — but a curtailment may be … Continue reading →
Here was the October 2014 verdict(s) — yesterday was the sentencing. Deeply delayed, but plainly the right outcome. The New York Times has it all: . . .One by one, four former Blackwater security contractors wearing blue jumpsuits and leg … Continue reading →
I too find this idea repugnant — which is why the logic is. . . in fact. . . compelling. Establish that crimes were committed by Cheney, by pardoning him. Perfect. Here’s the Gray Lady’s reprint of Mr. Romero’s fine … Continue reading →
Finally. Some form of rough justice — via the NYT today: . . .Jurors found one defendant guilty of murder and three others of manslaughter and weapons charges, roundly asserting that the shooting was criminal. . . . Seventeen Iraqis … Continue reading →
Just go read EmptyWheel.net on it — timeline especially. You may certainly trust that every word she writes is true — and would channel my thoughts on the matter. Only she will lay it out far more artfully than I … Continue reading →
Just go read it all — Mr. Cheney, in full regalia, and full of all that made him perhaps the least likeable politician. . . Ever. There is no doubt in my mind that the attempt to pardon Scooter was … Continue reading →
It comes as scant surprise that Mr. Cheney’s older daughter is as divisive — even within her own party — as Mr. Cheney was/is. It seems she’s trying to out-muscle a well-liked, long serving Senator in Wyoming. A Cheney acting … Continue reading →
This is perfect — per the NYT, tonight. Karma is a wheel, yes? . . .Mr. Comey, 52, was chosen for the position over the other finalist for the job, Lisa O. Monaco, who has served as the White House’s … Continue reading →
I’ll simply note that the mistakes that led to these lessons ought not be consigned to the dustin of history. They were avoidable — and most of all, they were foreseeable. I am sorry so many had to die to … Continue reading →
Here is a pdf of the full opinion (just handed down), but I will quote from Ginsberg’s concurring opinion — as it will be useful in any future such cases: . . .Thus, the “causal connection [a plaintiff must establish … Continue reading →
Following up on my thoughts immediately below — I wonder whether Mr. Cheney would feel/experience anything, differently, at some visceral level — a level he couldn’t really put into words — if it were to turn out that his new … Continue reading →
Actually. . . please don’t. First — I won’t joke about this one (and here is how I have genuinely, and consistently, felt about it, in the past). I do wish him continued health. I do want him to see … Continue reading →
The dialogue runs thus, toward the end of the argument, before the Supreme Court — perhaps Mr. Lane’s strongest exchange “the governement here presents us a solution, in search of a problem. . .”: . . .Mr. Lane: –Well, what … Continue reading →
Here is the argument transcript page, and the downloadable mp3 audio-stream, itself, from Chicago-Kent College of Law. This is nearly a month earlier than the Court’s usual website releases, itself. [Cite this stream as: The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent … Continue reading →
Here is the relevant portion of the just released hearings scheduling order: . . .No. 11–262. Virgil D. “Gus” Reichle, Jr., et al. v. Steven Howards. Certiorari to the C. A. 10th Circuit. For petitioner: Sean R. Gallagher, Denver, Colo.; … Continue reading →
Per the consummate SCOTUS watcher, Lyle Denniston, and the authoritative SCOTUS Blog — a bit: . . . .Taking on a case that grew out of a citizen’s arrest after he made an anti-war remark and jostled then-Vice President Richard … Continue reading →
We will keep an eye on this — as this will ultimately lead to a ruling ordering Dick Cheney, now a retiree, with plenty of free time on his hands, to sit for a deposition, under oath, about his actions … Continue reading →
Here’s a belated St. Patrick’s Day present — if Dick Cheney lives long enough to be deposed. This opinion was handed down on March 14, 2011 (a 42 page PDF file — 136 kbs). And so, the day when Dick … Continue reading →